I saw the article on the front page, but when I clicked through to it, I saw it was a slideshow, which I hate, so I didn't read it. Besides, it's the Bleacher Report, so I find it surprising to hear that it was well thought out. What I don't understand is why Montreal would be ahead of Vancouver to get an NBA team. The only sports team Montreal seems to have been able to sustain is the Canadiens. Didn't they lose their CFL team?

Vancouver HAD an NBA team that was unjustly taken away. I think they (we) deserve another one.

I saw the article on the front page, but when I clicked through to it, I saw it was a slideshow, which I hate, so I didn't read it. Besides, it's the Bleacher Report, so I find it surprising to hear that it was well thought out. What I don't understand is why Montreal would be ahead of Vancouver to get an NBA team. The only sports team Montreal seems to have been able to sustain is the Canadiens. Didn't they lose their CFL team?

Vancouver HAD an NBA team that was unjustly taken away. I think they (we) deserve another one.

There's a lot that happened in Vancouver that is not common knowledge. They were so badly managed, it wasn't funny. And that was before they were bought by an owner who had no intention of keeping the team in Vancouver. I have a close friend who worked for the Grizzlies and I heard plenty of stories. I can't tell you how many times he told me about stuff he saw first hand that had me shaking my head in despair. It was just sad.

There's a lot that happened in Vancouver that is not common knowledge. They were so badly managed, it wasn't funny. And that was before they were bought by an owner who had no intention of keeping the team in Vancouver. I have a close friend who worked for the Grizzlies and I heard plenty of stories. I can't tell you how many times he told me about stuff he saw first hand that had me shaking my head in despair. It was just sad.

Oh yeah its hard enough for Toronto to attract American players, but you can forget about it in Montreal that deals with a colder winter as well as the language barrier. I can picture some of the American's thoughts:

Yo forget it! I ain't going to no Mont-reel and be speaking French!! and its colder then Toronto dawg!!

Vancouver deserves a second chance. They should never have started 2 franchises in Canada at the same time.

There is some stuff I swore I'd never repeat, that had to do with certain people climbing their way up the corporate ladder by sleeping with other certain people who were married. And this was certainly not isolated.

AFter the new owners came in and Stu Jackson was shown the door, it took my buddy about a week to come to the conclusion that Heisley had no intention of keeping the team in Vancouver. And he's not a guy quick to judge. I've forgotten a lot of the details, but things like the fact that not one of the executives bought in Vancouver. Only leased. They got rid of a lot of the marketing staff and didn't replace them. They never reached out to the business community. And there was something to do with not contacting season ticket holders to renew. Things like that.

The $20 million loss was intentional. It made it easier for Stern to agree to the move.

Out to lunch. The Alouettes have a pretty strong following in Montreal considering that it's a hockey crazed town. I think I'd rather have Vancouver get a real shot (if the stories in this thread are true) and Montreal is really hockey first forever.

Oh yeah its hard enough for Toronto to attract American players, but you can forget about it in Montreal that deals with a colder winter as well as the language barrier. I can picture some of the American's thoughts:

[B]Yo forget it! I ain't going to no Mont-reel and be speaking French!! and its colder then Toronto dawg!![/B.

I really don't believe that the language is a big factor. A majority of the population of MTL speaks english! Look at Saku Koivu, he spent about 10 years for the Habs without speaking a word of french. If you wanna be serve in english, you'll be!

They missed the most important aspect of such a decision. Does Montreal have the demand for NBA basketball? I don't care how big the city is if the population isn't going to be into the sport then what's the point? Does University basketball do well there? Do ratings of NBA and NCAA basketball do well in the city? Is the province of Quebec basketball crazy?

BR basically looked at the population. Looked at the fact that the city does and has supported pro teams in the past, added in some filler and said it is a good idea. If they were an investment adviser I'd toss them out of my house...

That said, in terms of a location, if guys find Toronto a big change how are they going to react to Montreal? I'm not saying there is anything wrong with Montreal, in fact I think it's one of the most beautiful cities in Canada and has many great things to offer it's citizens but it's closer to a European city than an American city. It seems that American players would rather play in places like Detroit, than in beautiful Toronto or Montreal.

I obviously don't follow it. But didn't they not have a team for a while, or am I totally out to lunch on that?

They did lose the Alouettes for a really long time (81-96) and the fan base is vastly Anglo. Montreal, and Québec as a whole, has never shown capable of retaining interest in professional (read American) sports franchises. When the Als originally left there wasn't a whole lot of angst outside of a dedicated hardcore. But the thing with big time pro leagues is that you need the casual fan and corporate $$ more than a bunch of face painters. The Habs are religion in Montreal, way more than even the Leafs are to Toronto but as evidenced by the Expos (RIP), who weren't ever able to tap into the hearts of the francophone community, it's a tough sell. Plus you have the up and down nature of the separatist politics in Québec. Every time they get going just a little bit English money flees in droves. No one wants to do business with a group of civic leaders who want to break up the gravy train and start over on their terms.

I went to the Montreal Preseason game, it was a great time. But no way is Montreal or the province of Québec getting or wanting an NBA team any time soon.

I saw the article on the front page, but when I clicked through to it, I saw it was a slideshow, which I hate, so I didn't read it. Besides, it's the Bleacher Report, so I find it surprising to hear that it was well thought out. What I don't understand is why Montreal would be ahead of Vancouver to get an NBA team. The only sports team Montreal seems to have been able to sustain is the Canadiens. Didn't they lose their CFL team?

Vancouver HAD an NBA team that was unjustly taken away. I think they (we) deserve another one.

Sorry Tim, going to have to disagree with you on this.
First off the Montreal Alouettes are THE MOST successful team in the CFL if I am not mistaken.
Expos were VERY popular. Management was a disaster.
Montreal offers millions of fans, in a much smaller area. As the article points out, in terms of potential fanbase (population including surrounding areas), it would be fourth behind LA, NY, Toronto. Not bad.

I'm not a fan of the BleacherReport, and rarely read it, but this is the first I've heard of this idea, and I don't think its a bad one.

ADD: Sorry Tim, didn't see others had pointed out that CFL thing.

ADD: And Apollo, I am from Montreal, living in Toronto, and I can tell you the Basketball fans in Montreal are numerous. 22,000 showed up for a preseason game!

If you ever go to a Concordia game, or Laval Rouge et Or, man you'd be surprised.

ADD I should say that I don't actually think this will, or should happen. I just think that Montreal COULD support a team. That is my only argument.

First off the Montreal Alouettes are THE MOST successful team in the CFL if I am not mistaken.

Sorry, I don't wanna nitpick, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have the most Grey Cup appearances, while my Argos have the most Grey Cups .

Personally, I think there should be a team in Vancouver before there is a team in Montreal, mostly because a) there was already a team there that was unjustly taken away, and b) the climate in Van city is very nice, I think a lot players would find it much more to their liking than TO or Montreal.

I'd LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see another team in Canada just to create some sort of rivalry, but seeing as it's tough to get guys to want to play in Toronto, there's no way people are going to want to play in Vancouver, let alone Montreal. Montreal is one of those places where guys like to visit, but not to play.